On behalf of all of us here at KLRU, we want to apologize to viewers for a series of technical errors that occurred on Thursday evening, May 14th. We are still analyzing the issue, but it appears that a malfunction in the automation system led to several programs being cut off prematurely. Unfortunately, among the affected programs was our own production of Ballet Austin’s Hamlet — a production we are very proud of and worked hard to ensure that the quality of the production reflected the high standards of Stephen Mills and Ballet Austin.

We have instituted back up measures that should prevent the problem from affecting programming while
we determine the cause of the problem.

Meanwhile, three more performances of Ballet Austin’s Hamlet have been scheduled:May 24th at 4:30 pm, following Live from Lincoln Center “NY City Ballet–Romeo & Juliet.”June 4th, Thursday, at 8 pm
June 10th, Wednesday, at 7 pm

Again, we are very sorry for last night’s technical errors and we hope you tune into the rebroadcast of Hamlet.

KLRU presents a special advance screening of Independent Lens’ Ask Not on Tuesday, May 19, in KLRU’s Austin City Limits Studio. The screening begins at 7 p.m. and will be followed by a short discussion. RSVP here

Independent Lens just launched the Web site for this program. Find interviews, the facts behind the policy and much more at pbs.org/independentlens/asknot

It is, more than anything else, his extraordinary range that impresses. Here’s a guy who can spend months, years, producing a 900-page biography of Teddy Roosevelt and at the same time, just as the first excerpts from that serious yet readable tome are seeing print, publish a 12,000-word cover story in Rolling Stone about Bob Dylan — who can edit both Ronald Reagan’s diaries and Hunter S. Thompson’s letters, who can serve as the official biographer for both Rosa Parks and Jack Kerouac, who can write passionately and authoritatively about Hurricane Katrina’s aftermath and Lance Armstrong’s comeback and Vietnam and Henry Ford and the Mississippi River and Norman Mailer and so much more. more →

KLRU continues the station’s commitment to presenting the arts to Central Texas with a special presentation of the Ballet Austin’s Hamlet. Taped earlier this year, In Context will showcase this interpretation of Shakespeare’s iconic story at 8 p.m. on May 14 with a repeat on May 24 at 4:30 p.m.

In 2000, Ballet Austin premiered Stephen Mills’ contemporary and distinctive interpretation of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, hailed by The Dallas Morning News as “dance theater at its best”. Since its debut, five other companies around the country (BalletMet in Columbus, Dayton Ballet, Ohio Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, and Milwaukee Ballet) have performed it to rave reviews. Nine years after delighting Central Texas audiences, Mill’s production of Hamlet was again performed in Austin and recorded by KLRU. more →

Enhanced Broadcast and Digital Content Will Offer More Options for Audiences Looking for Trusted News Source in Evolving Media Landscape

Changes Include New Name, Dual Anchor Format and Online Correspondent

New Format to Launch in September 2009

BALTIMORE, MD, May 12, 2009 — Recognizing that PBS and The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer have both an opportunity and an obligation to play a leadership role in the transformation of high-quality electronic journalism, Jim Lehrer, executive editor of The NewsHour, announced today that The NewsHour will make major changes in its broadcast and digital news product, effective mid-September 2009. more →

Parenting Counts Workshops were developed by the Talaris institute and brought to the Austin Public Library in partnership with KLRU. Explore ways to share the love of reading and develop the foundation for further learning. The workshop is open to parents of children ages 3 to 5 years old and will be taught in English. Each workshop is limited to 20 participants, so please call 512-974-7567 to reserve a space now. Parents will receive a free children’s book that goes with each theme discussed. The workshops are free and open to the public. The upcoming workshops will focus on May 19: Tell Me a Story and May 26: Taking a Break with Books. Find out more about Parenting Counts at parentingcounts.org

Each year students in kindergarten through third grade are invited to create their own books with original stories and drawings in the annual Reading Rainbow Young Writers and Illustrators Contest. This year, KLRU received more than 100 book submissions from children in the Austin area. A panel of teachers and librarians judged the entries. more →